You Make Me Smile
by TrueThought
Summary: One-shot set between Revolution Part 1 and Chasing Cars - wacky order in which I'm writing these I know! Two of Batman's friends have news for him which will make him smile. Very simple story but I wanted to write it.


**A.N.** Going way back and out of sequence, this oneshot is set before the Chasing Cars - probably a couple of years after Revolution Part 1. There is a connection with Chasing Cars and I've got further stories in mind which this is sort of setting up. I haven't entirely put them together yet so don't get too excited. Anyway - enjoy! I haven't written anything JLA for a while so I hope it works.

* * *

There were two men in the alley, each leaning against the wall of the club and smoking a cigarette. One was clearly more nervous than the other. His name was Carl Sidney and he had only been in Gotham for a week.  
You heard stories about Gotham. People would give you advice; advice such as 'never commit a crime in Gotham. Never shoot a cop in Gotham, they were protected. That went double for Bludhaven.  
Never stand in a dark alley in Gotham.  
His companion was more relaxed; he'd been born and brought up in this city. He also seemed to be enjoying his discomfort.  
"You know," he said, almost revelling in his description, "They say he flies on dark wings."  
"Really?" Carl tried not to sound afraid but his voice wasn't as steady as he would have liked.  
"Oh yes," James Turner nodded, grinning away. "Flies through all the alleyways."  
Carl's head snapped around to check the alley again; nothing there.  
"How do you live in this city?"  
James laughed heartily, "You get to know his patrol route; he's running along the West Bank this time of night, every night. Of course, he's been known to make exceptions – on occasion."  
There was a freezing rush of wind, making Carl shiver, "Is it always this cold in October?"  
Then he noticed that his companion wasn't looking at him; he was staring over his shoulder at the alley behind.  
Carl was frozen to the spot, unable to turn around, "What is it?"  
The man's answer was simply to point and scream," DAAARK WIIINGS!"  
Carl put all his willpower into his muscles and turned his head. What he saw made him scream and run down the alley for the streetlights in the distance.

As the sound of fleeing footsteps faded away the older man's face relaxed into a grin as he faced the figure that loomed out of the darkness.  
"You are worryingly good at that you know?"  
"You weren't exactly sparing the amateur dramatics Jimmy. 'Dark wings'; really? By the way, I hope you know that's bad for your health."  
James Turner stubbed out the cigarette on the lid of a dustbin, "The kid wanted at cigarette break. Never hurts to give the newcomers a healthy fear of vigilantes."  
"The typical Gotham City welcome." The Batman shook his head, "Do you actually have anything for me?"  
James chuckled, "Don't worry, this is just a bonus for me. Thorne's arms deal has fallen through."  
"Fallen through? You mean he's lost the connection?"  
"No, the connection to Asia is still there; you know those types, they load the cargo on the ships and don't ask questions. The group they were getting the weapons from in the first place was taken down."  
"Do we know who by?"  
James shrugged, as if the answer was obvious, "The person Thorne's now trying to get a new deal with – R'as al Ghul. By my count he must be pretty much running the table in Asia by now."  
"You would think," Batman muttered.  
James looked awkward all of a sudden, "I hope this is useful to you, because it's the last time. I'm getting out of the business; completely. I'm leaving Thorne's group on amicable terms and getting a steady job if I can. Sally's pregnant."  
There was a pause, during which James tried to read any sort of sign from under the cowl, as he had a hundred times before. As with every other time, however, there was nothing to read which was why he felt nervous – how the Batman would react was anyone's guess.  
He realised afterwards that the reaction he got was not the one he had been expecting.  
"That's great news!" and now perhaps there was a smile on the vigilante's face.  
James let out his breath all at once, "Thanks. I didn't think you'd take it this well."  
"Why ever not? You're going to be a father – that's a responsibility worth everything."  
With a raised eyebrow he asked, "Are you a father?"  
Batman shook his head, "No, but I know someone who ended up something of a surrogate father by accident; I always assumed there was something to the whole thing to keep him in that role."  
James smiled, aware that they'd reached that area of conversation that was too close to Batman's personal life for their working relationship. So, as an acknowledgement of this and the vigilante's good grace to talk about the subject, even in vague terms, he held out a hand, thus bringing the discussion to it's end.  
"I have to say – it's been a pleasure working with you. I'm not sure I've ever had the chance to say this but you have my respect, for what that's worth."  
Batman took his hand, looking rather more human, even in his costume, than he ever had before.  
"The pleasure has been all mine Jimmy. I wish you all the luck in the world; you, Sally and the baby."  
With that he pulled his grapple out of his cloak and fired it into the sky, soaring upwards as if he truly did have wings. James Turner watched him fly away, a dark guardian of the night – an invincible symbol, but more human than anyone he'd ever known.  
"Never fails to impress," he murmured to himself.

The monitor room of the Watchtower was dimly lit by the light from the screens; in the flickering illuminations Diana, princess of Themyscira, looked as if she was sleeping. The sight made Bruce hesitate in the doorway for a moment but in the end he decided to use the computer on the observation deck. He looked back once, watching the peaceful face of the Amazon princess and her rhythmic and unhurried breathing.  
Clark Kent (alias Superman), Wally West (alias The Flash) and J'onn J'onnz were sitting in chairs on the observation deck, laughing together and looking unusually happy for this time of night. Clark, unsurprisingly, was the first to spot him and practically flew at him to envelop him in an almost bone-crunching hug.  
Bruce craned his neck to look round Clark's head, "Did I miss something important?"  
Wally was laughing even harder now so it was J'onn who answered, "Nothing we can't fill you in on."  
Clark stepped back, a wide grin on his face and excitement in his eyes, "I've asked Lois to marry me!"  
Bruce felt a smile on his own face now, "Finally!" He gripped his best friend's arm in a gesture of congratulation.  
"Is there a crisis?" Wally asked into the moment. "I mean, you haven't been up here for a while-"  
"No, nothing like that," Bruce assured him, "I just needed to look up a few things."  
"You mean we have better computers than the Batcave?" J'onn asked, just a little teasingly.  
Bruce smiled at the comment because very little could have spoiled his mood with Clark's good news and happy face.  
"Let's just say that, in this case, it's more discreet." He hated being paranoid but since R'as al Ghul had found out his identity many years ago he'd refrained from interfering in matters concerning the League of Shadows in any traceable manner connected with his operation.  
Wally got to his feet, "Come on J'onn – I'll kick your butt at table-tennis."  
J'onn shot a glance of amusement at Clark and Bruce, before following Wally out of the room.  
"Keep the noise down on that level!" Bruce called after them. "Diana's asleep so I wouldn't wake her!"

Clark spread his hands wide once the door was closed behind them, "Go on then – get any jokes you may have out your system."  
Bruce laughed, "I wouldn't have thought there was anything I could say that Wally hasn't already covered."  
"That's true." Clark was eyeing him now, "So what are you looking up?"  
"Something one of my informants gave me; it seems to be a night for good news all round. By the way I'm going to assume that Lois said 'yes' – either that or you take rejection _very _well."  
"She did say yes; she also knows about Superman."  
"Somehow I wouldn't have seen a marriage lasting very long if you hadn't."  
Clark seemed almost as nervous as James Turner had been some hours before, "So – you approve?"  
Bruce sighed, "Why is everyone so keen for my opinion today? Yes of course I do! You're in love with the woman and, in any case, it's your choice not mine. Who cares what I think?"  
"I do; you're my best friend."  
"A fact people still marvel over." Bruce smiled at him, "In all seriousness Clark, I'm amazingly happy for you; I really am. However, considering that the world isn't in peril at the moment and I do actually do need to follow up on this information – isn't there anywhere you'd rather be on the day you become engaged to the woman you love?"  
Clark gave him another bone-shattering hug and was gone in a red and blue blur. Bruce turned to the computer, quite certain his good mood was going to remain for several days at least.  
"Boy-scout," he murmured to himself and set about using James Turner's last contribution to his battle against crime.

* * *

**A.N.** Please review! Thanks for reading!


End file.
